Nothing Beats A First Kiss
by alwayssoinlove
Summary: "When she woke up this morning, she had never met him." 50 First Dates AU. submission for castlefanfic's romcom challenge.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own the TV show Castle, nor do I own the film 50 First Dates.**

 **This is a submission for castlefanfics's romcom challenge thing (what is it called I have no clue). I picked 50 First Dates :)**

* * *

He wasn't sure if he was going to come here or not.

Remy's just looked like a crappy diner, but he was tired of searching for somewhere to write a new chapter, so he just stopped at the first place he saw.

He is so glad he did.

Because sitting two tables away is the most beautiful woman he's ever seen.

A waitress brings him coffee before he can muster the courage to go talk to her, so he goes back to his writing, which is starting to center around a woman with tired green eyes and slumped shoulders.

He can't stop himself from sliding into the booth across from her. He also can't stop himself from forgetting the suave pick-up line he was going to use to make her laugh. Because she looks up from her newspaper and her breakfast and all he can do is _stare._

"Can I help you?" she asks in a tone that isn't hostile, but it makes him feel like she doesn't really want him there.

"I'm sorry; I'm just looking for inspiration. I'm trying to write a book, and I can't seem to get a single word out." This story would be a clever excuse if it wasn't agonizingly true.

Her tone is playful and her eyebrow arches. "And I'm supposed to inspire you?"

"I don't know. You look tired. Tell me about your day."

She doesn't seem like the type of woman that tells a stranger about her day, but she takes it all in stride.

"Well, today is the first day off that I've had in a long time, so I'm trying to savor every mundane, boring moment until I have to go back to work tomorrow."

"What do you do?"

"I'm a homicide detective."

He doesn't know what his face looks like, but he knows that he is _definitely_ inspired and that she has a gorgeous laugh.

"You're very inspiring. And very cool," he says. Like an idiot. _Good God, Rick._

"Glad I could be of service, Mr. Castle."

"Wait, you know me?"

She seems to realize her mistake, and her voice turns from playful to kind of nervous. "I may have read a couple of your books."

"Are you a fan, Detective…?" he trails off after realizing he never learned her name.

She smiles. "Beckett. Kate Beckett."

* * *

He feels like they talk for hours, but in reality it's only been half an hour.

They've hit it off.

He takes the plunge. "I would very much like to see you again."

"Likewise."

"When do you get off work tomorrow?"

"Meet me here at the same time tomorrow, okay?"

"It's a date."

Kate's phone buzzes and she puts it to her ear with a "Hey, Lanie." She looks behind her and another woman with her phone to her ear-Lanie, he presumes- waves at her from outside the restaurant.

"I have to go, my friend is here to pick me up. I'll see you tomorrow." She grins and then she's gone.

Tomorrow can't come soon enough.

* * *

The next day, he takes care to spruce up a bit. He wears a nicer shirt than what he wore yesterday, and takes a little time to comb his hair. For the first time in a long time, he's _excited._

Richard Castle has never been a fan of commitment. He has his daughter, and that's all he needs. After Meredith cheated on him, he hasn't gone on a second date. Ever. But Kate Beckett makes him forget.

When he gets to the restaurant, he sees her at her booth with her newspaper and a cup of coffee. He sits down eagerly.

"Can I help you?" she asks.

He laughs. "Lovely to see you, Detective Beckett. How was work?"

"How do you know my name?" He would think she was still joking if not for the terrified (and terrifying) look in her eyes.

"Do you not remember me? We were here yesterday and-"

He's cut off my by the woman he saw Kate leave with yesterday when she comes over to the booth with a sympathetic look in her eyes.

She simply walks by and says "Come with me" without stopping. He apologizes to Kate and follows her outside the restaurant.

"What was that?" he asks.

"You've got to leave her alone, okay?"

"Why? Everything was great yesterday. _She_ asked _me_ to meet her here. I don't underst-"

She cuts him off. "You just have to leave her alone. Don't come here anymore."

"But why? Why doesn't she remember me?"

Lanie gives him a look of defeat.

"Because she can't."

* * *

He's learned many new things today.

Kate Beckett is not a cop. She used to be, but she isn't anymore.

She got called in on her day off for a big case. Some suspect shot her and left her in an alley, and the lack of oxygen to her brain left her in a coma for three months. She woke up with Goldfield Syndrome, which ruined her ability to form new memories.

When she woke up this morning, she had never met him.

She went to sleep last night, and then she woke up thinking it was her day off. So she has some fun with her friends, indulges in a burger from Remy's, and prays that her phone doesn't ring with a new case. And then she does the same thing the next day.

Over and over and over again. It's been going on for over a year.

It's the saddest story he's ever heard. And she has no idea.

Kate thinks she's still a homicide detective. Kate thinks she's still 26. Kate thinks that all of her friends got haircuts because they did _not_ look like that yesterday.

He barely knows her, but it still hurts. The fact that he will _never_ know her, even though he knows so many things about her that she hasn't the slightest idea of; it hurts.

So he decides to know her. He decides to try.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Hey guys! This is definitely going to be continued. I already have most of the rest of it written. I wanna try not to drag it out too much, unless anyone wants a bunch of chapters. There's a lot that goes on in this movie and I didn't want to leave out too much? It might be overkill, but I'm gonna stick with it. Also, keep in mind that I've changed certain aspects of the film so that it fits better with Castle. I figured that no one wants a play-by-play of the movie with different characters. I'm just writing the general plot of the movie and changing it where it feels right. Also, I haven't seen this movie in a while, so the exact details are a little hazy.**

 **Goldfield Syndrome (Lucy's diagnosis) is entirely fictional, so I just looked up the causes for anterograde amnesia (they're kinda similar) and one of them was lack of oxygen to the brain, and that can happen when you bleed out. I tried to make it as realistic as possible, but it's a fake condition and I am not a doctor. No beta, so all other mistakes are mine.**

 **As always, I enjoy constructive criticism and I love to see what you guys want in a story. It helps my creative juices flow and all that. I'm also so thankful for the sweet reviews I've gotten on If I Loved You. You guys are awesome.**

 **I also wanted to let you know that I made a tumblr account (that I don't know how to use) so I can write ficlets and talk to people and receive prompts and stuff. It's empty right now, but I would love it if you sent me prompts or questions or whatever. I'm pretty new at this, so bear with me?**

 **URL is alwayssoinlove just like my username here.**

 **That's my newsletter. Thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I still do not own Castle, nor do I own 50 First Dates. This chapter and its dialogue are heavily inspired by the corresponding scene in 50 First Dates.**

* * *

Richard Castle is charming. Women _love_ Richard Castle. Surely he can do this.

However, Kate Beckett is not just some woman. Kate Beckett is way out of his league, and she isn't the type to fawn over him for his money. He's lost two significant advantages.

But he's trying. And he's not gonna give up.

The first day he goes back to Remy's, he tries traditional pickups, but he gets shot down.

The second day, he sends a cup of coffee with a heart in the foam (the waiter he talked to looked at him like he was a crazy person) over to her table. She looked around with a furrowed brow, and then she got up and left.

The third day, he goes over to her table to read a corny poem he wrote last night (he is running out of ideas) and before he can open his mouth, she starts speaking Russian.

Fluent Russian.

He would definitely be offended if it wasn't the hottest thing he's ever witnessed. Ever. In his entire life. Wow.

On the fourth day, he tries something truly desperate. He will look back on this day with intense embarrassment, unless it works.

It's times like these that remind him that even though she doesn't remember all of his terrible attempts at wooing her, all of the staff and regular customers definitely do. He's about to blow all of his other failures out of the water.

He splashes a little water on his face and begins to sniffle.

He gets increasingly louder, making little hiccups that turn into fake, frustrated sobs. He even bangs his fist on the bar just once, before hanging his head in defeat. Sure enough, he feels the shift in the air as she settles onto the barstool beside him.

"Excuse me sir?" She sounds extremely reluctant to talk to him, but still genuinely concerned. He guesses that it's a cop thing.

"Are you…okay?" she tries.

He just fakes a couple more gasping sobs and turns his head away from her.

"Wait, uh…is there anything I can help you with?"

It's time to drop the bomb. Here goes nothing.

"I…I can't read." He breaks down into more fake ( _so fake)_ hysterics, while she sits there looking confused. She pats his shoulder with a stiff, tentative hand to try to comfort him.

"Well…Do you want me to read the menu for you?" She looks so hilariously uncomfortable and he is _praying_ that this will work, but he's so happy just to talk to her again.

He sits up. "No. I've... I've got it, thank you." He then proceeds to try to pronounce the word 'hamburger' with more fake effort. He's gasping for breath and looking like he's in physical pain, and he wonders why he thought that this is how an illiterate person would act _._ She helps him along with wide eyes as she pronounces the syllables in a guilty voice.

After he eventually orders with her help, he collapses on the bar in hysterics again, and she puts both of her hands on his shoulders and urges him to look at her.

"Here, why don't you come over to my table and we can read the paper together, okay?"

He of course goes over there, thrilled by his small victory. It's not until he sees the newspaper from over a year ago sitting in her hand that he realizes that this is only for today. It's not until he listens to her shocked reactions over old news that he realizes that this is forever.

* * *

He walks her to her car. She's laughing at one of his stupid jokes, and he delights in the sound of it. Everything about her is completely intoxicating.

Especially the fact that her car is not a car. She's picking up a helmet and straddling a motorcycle, and he is standing there like an idiot.

"I'll see you around, Detective."

She waves at him before he turns around. He's a couple feet away when he hears her say:

"Are you serious?"

He turns around. "What?"

"All that flirting, and that fake 'I can't read' stuff, and you're not even gonna ask me for my phone number?"

He stands there spluttering. He should have known. Kate Beckett is not stupid. "Well, I-"

"Save it. Thanks, but no thanks."

She gives him a sly smile and speeds away on her _extremely hot_ motorcycle. He stands there watching her retreating form from his place on the sidewalk.

There's always tomorrow.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Super sorry with how long this took, especially since it's kinda short. My life has been hectic and I have been writing and rewriting this chapter trying to make it worth the wait. *cough cough* Reviews definitely make me write faster. ;) But seriously. I apologize for the wait. I'm working on some other stuff too, so stay tuned! I also do not have a beta so all errors are mine. This is also very very similar to the scene in 50 First Dates. This will be the only chapter like that, and it's only because this is my favorite scene and I didn't want to mess with perfection (the I-Can't-Read thing is literally my favorite thing to ever happen in a movie). Thank you so much for reading!**

 **Tumblr is** _alwayssoinlove_ **if you want to send me prompts or ask questions. I love making friends!**


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